Library Guides: English 251: Social Issues
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For Instructor: Charles Parker
Developed by  Librarian: Gina Haycock
September 3, 2009

REFERENCE BOOKS:
 Located on the first floor of the library behind the Reference Desk.  These books must remain in the library. Reference books include dictionaries, almanacs and encyclopedias. Specialized or subject encyclopedias (concentrating on a particular subject instead of covering all knowledge) are excellent starting points for research. They are focused on a particular topic, cover the major concepts of the topic, are written by experts in the field, and often have bibliographies or other references. Examples of Reference books in the COS library are as follows:

For Statistics:
 Statistical Abstract of the United States    #R317.3 Un58    This resource is also available online at the following URL:    http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
The World Almanac and Book of Facts    #R317.3 W927

Subject Encyclopedias: (a small sampling of what is available)

Encyclopedia of Terrorism    #R303.625 K97
Encyclopedia of Infant and Early Childhood Development    #R305.231 E56
Encyclopedia of the American Armed Forces    #R355.00973 A969
Global Warming in the 21st Century    #R363.73874 J65
Eating Disorders and Obesity    #R616.8526 E14
Obesity in Childhood and Adolescence    #R618.92    O12

Online Reference Books:
 Gale Virtual Reference Library - Gale provides access to 200 reference books. All the books are full-text and cover a wide variety of topics including art, science, literature and much more. All 200 titles can be searched simultaneously or individual titles may be selected. (Cost $20,000)

CredoReference - Credo provide full-text reference books on a wide variety of subjects (Cost $2500)

Circulating  books:
 COS Library owns about 170 titles of a series called Opposing Viewpoints that cover current controversial topics. An example of a search in the COS catalog is as follows:

ONLINE BOOKS:

NetLibrary E-books: Electronic full-text copies of published print materials, such as reference books, scholarly and popular books. They can be accessed from any computer on campus as well as remotely from home when you set up a user name and password from a campus computer

PERIODICALS INDEXES AND DATABASES

For current social issue topics, periodicals (magazines, journals and newspapers) usually are the best source of timely and authoritative information. To find out which periodicals have articles on a given topic, it is necessary to use an index. Indexes are available in paper and electronic formats. Currently, the LRC subscribes to approximately 9 indexes:  Index Title Holdings and approximately 250 periodicals:  Magazine Title Holdings  and Newspaper Title Holdings  . These are physically available in the Periodicals Area on the first floor of the LRC.  For periodicals that the COS LRC does not have available, there is also the possibility of an Inter-Library Loan with Fresno State University.

However, through the Electronic Resources link on the COS Library’s Web Site, a student can locate indexing and many full-text periodical articles regardless of whether the LRC subscribes to the source. Because these indexes are part of what is known as the Invisible Web, that is, proprietary databases, they are available by subscription only; the LRC pays fees so that COS students can use them. If a student is off campus, passwords are necessary to access these databases. Passwords are available for COS students at the COS LRC Information Desk or by calling the Information Desk at(559) 737-6179.

Here are some general guidelines to think about before typing anything in the search boxes:

  • Allow plenty of time for searching, depending on your topic getting good results may take longer than you think.

  • Allow time to read the article before emailing or printing, especially, when doing a key word search, because you may get false hits.

  • Choose the most appropriate database for your topic.

  • Take time to look at the search screen as a whole and make choices appropriate to your topic or assignment.

  • Focus on getting precisely what you are looking for, not how many results you get.

  • Use Boolean operators: and, or, not, whenever appropriate or allowed by the software. This option is often available in advanced search.

  • Identify key words and possible subject headings and synonyms. For Example:

KEYWORDS AND SUBJECTS TO USE IN DATABASES
Childhood Obesity Teenage pregnancy Sexual Assault Global Warming
Obesity in children Teenage mothers Rape Global Warming--Political Aspects
Obesity in children--United States --Prevention Sex education United States--Armed Forces--Women Global Warming--Environmental Aspects
overweight children Sex instruction military academies Climatic changes
Food industry Teenagers--Sexual behavior military education Greenhouse effect
school children, food Teenagers--United States--Sexual behavior military cadets Climate change
advertising and children Teenagers--United States--Attitudes sexual harassment of women Greenhouse gases
Food preferences Teen pregnancy military institutions Global temperature
market strategy Early parenthood sex offences Atmospheric carbon
Fast food industry Pregnant students sex abuse Air pollution control
television advertising Sexual abstinence sex charges Ozone layer depletion
parents   Sexual harassment Carbon dioxide
food consumption     Environmental policy

There is no one "right way" to search in these databases, but if you take some time to think about which database to use and to plan your search terms,  you will save time in the long run. Remember, GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT!

When using an electronic database it is important to know the difference between subject and key word searching. In subject searching, you can begin with broad topics of possibly one or two words, and the indexing will help you to narrow your search.

  • Infotrac - Infotrac provides articles from more than 500 scholarly, trade and general-interest publications, as well as references for The New York Times. The databases integrate core titles in every major academic concentration; area  and issue-specific journals; academic journals with application in the professions; and publications with national news coverage and commentary.  The time period it covers is current year to date + the previous 3 years. The optional back file extends coverage as far back as 1980.  (Annual Cost $9,732)

A database specializing in current topics is:

For current issues regarding California and/or local problems, newspaper coverage may be the best choice:

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This page was created: June 2007   This page was last updated: 08/27/2009
 For Questions and Comments, please mail to ginah@cos.edu